OCLC eNews Issue 35

Newsletter for Europe, Middle East & Africa | August 2013

OCLC Europe, Middle East and Africa Regional Council Meeting to take place in Africa

27 August 2013

The programme has been announced for the first OCLC Europe, Middle East and Africa Regional Council Meeting to take place in Africa. The theme, “Library Community in Action: advancing knowledge, cooperation and innovation” will address the importance of community—exploring how a cooperative approach can make a difference and what greater collaboration between libraries can really offer in the context of sharing and innovation.

Librarians from nearly 30 countries are expected to gather in Cape Town, many with a view to explore the potential for new partnerships and collaboration. The OCLC EMEA Regional Council Meeting offers a rare opportunity to move outside the regular circuit of national library conferences and engage in new conversations with peers offering a fresh perspective.

The EMEA Regional Council Executive Committee is delighted to announce the first keynote will be Charles Leadbeater, one of the world’s leading authorities on innovation and creativity. He has advised companies, cities and governments around the world on innovation strategy. Mr Leadbeater is the author of “We-think: the power of mass creativity”, which charts the rise of mass, participative approaches to innovation from science and open source software, to computer games and political campaigning. He has also worked extensively as a senior adviser to the U.K. government and the European Commission on the rise of the knowledge-driven economy and the Internet.

Robert Moropa, Chair of EMEA Regional Council and Library Director at the University of Pretoria, said: “I can think of nothing more fitting for our first OCLC EMEA Regional Council Meeting in Africa than to have a theme that is inspired by the African proverb, ‘if you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together’. In addition to hearing renowned international speakers address the topic, we will learn about member-led activities from across our region, spotlighting initiatives in research, advocacy, shared services, technology and innovation.”

The OCLC EMEA Regional Council Meeting will take place in Cape Town on 24 and 25 February 2014 at the International Convention Centre. Further announcements on the program will follow shortly. The event is free to attend and libraries from across Europe, the Middle East and Africa are welcome. To register interest in attending, go to the event website.